It has happens to the best of us. We've driven over the speed limit, got flashed and now are trying to find ways to dodge this pricey speeding fine. Here are several ways how to: Obviously the best way to avoid a fine is not to speed at all, but knowing how, why and where you're most likely to get caught can help too.
Get caught speeding and the most likely outcome is a fixed £60 fine and three penalty points that will be with you for the next four years. When you trigger a speed camera the details are collected by the local Safety Camera Partnership which will process them and issue a Notice of Intended Prosecution (more on that in a minute). If you collect more than 12 points in a three-year period, or pick up six in your first two years of driving, you'll licence will be revoked and you'll have to retake your test. Breaking the limit by too much – normally more than 20mph above the posted speed – and you'll get a summons to court. The court can issue you more points than the standard three, a much heftier fine or ban you.

If you're caught by a speed camera, a Notice of Intended Prosecution will arrive stating the date, time and location of the offence. It will also ask you to reveal who was driving. Once you've replied to this you'll receive a Fixed Penalty Notice which will cost you £60 and three points will be added to your licence by the relevant Safety Camera Partnership. If you're pulled over by a traffic cop, he'll likely give you a Fixed Penalty Notice straightaway. It's worth noting that not all Notices of Intended Prosecution result in a Fixed Penalty Notice arriving – so you might be one of the lucky ones!

You can contest Fixed Penalty Notices in court, but only do so if you really think the fine is wrong – courts take a dim view of drivers seen to be wasting their time. It's worth checking the speeding ticket to make sure it's actually your car and you were in that area at the time. Numberplate cloning can see innocent motorists pick up tickets for criminals that have copied their registration number. Before heading to court, research cases and collect information and witnesses to help your defence. A decent lawyer can help too... if you can afford it! You only have to look at the success rate of solicitor to the stars 'Mr Loophole' Nick Freeman to see how successful an expert can be of getting you off the hook.

There are countless.gadgets that could help you spot the cameras. They give drivers advance warning of upcoming cameras and mobile trap locations. A unit like the Pogo Alert cross-references your location via GPS to a database of cameras to warn you. As these speed traps are supposed to be sited at accident black spots, these gadgets act as a good safety aid too. The units are getting smarter all the time. Take the Snooper Lynx, for example. It lets users notify others when a police mobile cameravan is 'live' by uploading its location to its database at the touch of a button. Most modern sat navs come with speed camera warning systems too and even road atlases point them out with icons.